AN SAS soldier who died in a parachute world championships made a late turn “that was too low” and slammed on into the ground before carting-wheeling over a pond where competitors performed their dare devil stunts.
Staff Sergeant Chris Good, 52, was representing Great Britain at the 10th World Canopy Piloting Championships in South Africa.
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The South African Parachute Association said Good was immediately recovered from the “swoop pond” and pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics were unable to resuscitate him on Wednesday.
Sgt Good had served in the “Who Dares Wins” regiment since 2004 and had been part of its top secret E Squadron – also known as the Revolutionary Warfare Wing – which works with MI6 spies.
Mark Bellingan, head of safety and training at the Parachute Association of South Africa said the fatal accident occurred on Sgt Good’s second jump of the day, at 10.18am.
He said Sgt Good was “an experienced skydiver with 5300 skydives”.
In a statement he added: ”Canopy Piloting is conducted over a body of water.
“While setting up for his landing in the Distance category of the event, Mr Good appeared to initiate a turn that was too low.
“His initial impact was with the ground at the entrance to the swoop pond. He then proceeded to cart wheel ending up in the middle of the pond.”
Bellingan added: “He was removed from the water immediately.
“There was no success in resuscitating Mr Good and he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
“A cause of death must still be established as nothing obvious was detected on the scene.”
Sgt Good joined the elite Parachute Regiment aged 17 and performed with their Red Devils display team before joining the SAS in 2004 and serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He won a gold medal at the UK National Championships last month and revealed that he was wearing a new type of harness to let him fly further and faster.
He wrote: “As always, a change or development can bring risk!”
He also explained in a YouTube video that the so-called Newton harness was a challenge.
He said: “The challenge for this year, I have moved on to a new harness for distance and speed.”
He added: “It’s the first chance I have had to put this over the water.
“It’s just learning how that changes everything that we have been doing for the last eight, nine years in a conventional harness.”
He had been funded to pursue his skydiving by the military’s Talented Athlete Sponsorship Scheme.
And he was based at Netherhavon, Wiltshire, home of the Army Parachute Association.
British Skydiving, the sport’s governing body, said Chris was “a cherished member of the team and an exceptionally skilled skydiver.”
They added: “His loss will be deeply felt within our sport.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to Chris’s family and friends during this difficult period.”
An Army Spokesperson said: “It’s with immense sadness that we must confirm the death of Staff Sergeant Chris Good in a skydiving accident in South Africa on 25th September.
“Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with Chris’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
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